Glass Houses
by Follow-ur-Shadow
Summary: Mike goes head to head with Harvey over a case and Donna steps in to try and pick up the pieces.


**Glass Houses**

**Pairing:** Darvey established

**Summary:** Mike goes head to head with Harvey over a case and Donna steps in to try and pick up the pieces.

**AN:** Based on spoilers for Mikes return!

* * *

Donna loves NYC. The thriving buzz of people, the theater presence, the restaurants; it's the essence of who she is and she's _Donna._

She isn't rattled by the 'bad' side of town, the seedy bars that still retain the smell of cigarette smoke, or the leering men whose eyes wash over her like she's a of meat. It doesn't have any effect on her, not tonight, and she slides onto a stool keeping her Salvatore Ferragamo clutch away from the spilled drinks as she takes in the disheveled man beside her.

"How did you find me?"

She rolls her eyes, tired, and not just from people questing her methods. Between Faye Richardson's espionage of the firm and now _this, _she's mentally and emotionally drained but it doesn't end here. Not after everything they've been through, she refuses to accept that. "Did you happen to forget I'm best friend's with your wife?"

Mike smirks over his drink but there's no amusement to the gesture. He'd told Rachel where he was and maybe subconsciously he'd been half-hoping, half-dreading something would come from it but now he's faced with the reality he isn't so sure. "What do you want me to say Donna, I _had_ to take this case."

"Bullshit." She calls him straight out, her lacquered nails wrapping tighter around her clutch. "You could have had any other lawyer on this, you chose to go up against Harvey."

"Because any other lawyer would have lost-" he fires back, not angry but still aggressive in his response. The truth is, she's right. He knew exactly what he was getting himself into and did it anyway because he thought, he was _sure_, it was the right thing to do. He'd banked on their friendships being strong enough to handle the competition but it's not just Harvey's ego that's the problem, it's _his. _He hasn't entertained losing because he can't. There are bigger things at stake and he might be thinking like Harvey goddamn Specter but his heart is where it's always been, where it should be. "Those people deserve compensation Donna. You know it, Harvey knows it and so does every single one of those smug corrupt bastards on the board."

He takes a sip of beer, landing the drink back down with a heavy hand and she breathes out a sigh. The right thing isn't always the black and white picture Mike Ross has hanging up in his big glass house. If the firm takes a hit like this now they won't recover from it but that's not his fight, just like swinging the moral pendulum isn't hers. What they _can_ do is stop going at it like logger heads for five minutes and put their egos aside to try and find a solution. "If you think Harvey believes that then _talk_ to him."

He opens his mouth with a stutter and she quickly cuts him off, "do not give me that crap about being unethical because if you don't figure something out and _you_ lose, what happens to all those people then?"

He swallows his protest, for the first time actually considering who he's up against. Harvey isn't unbeatable but he's a fucking good lawyer and if there's a way to salvage this without losing his best friend in the process he's prepared to try it Donna's way. "How pissed is he?"

She winds her mouth around a loose smirk, "he was playing Radio Moscow last night."

He knows that's about an eight on the scale of angry records and scrubs his face, dipping his head into his palm

"You came in swinging Mike, what did you expect?" She _almost_ feels sorry for him though, and instead of berating him any further she softens her expression. If this is actually going to work, if they're going to risk colluding while Faye Richardson is circling the waters, she has to lead the way in forgiveness for Harvey to follow. "Why don't you come back with me?" Mike glances up hesitantly and she hooks an eyebrow at him, "come on, it beats this dive."

He chuckles at the comment, more grateful than he realized for her intervention. He knew when he decided to take on Harvey he'd be putting her offside as well. The two have always been the epitome of loyal to each other, and he turns his gaze toward her with a genuine smile. "I'm really glad the two of you-"

_Got your shit together,_ is what he wants to say, but her warning glare stops him and he downs the rest of his drink, sliding the glass back across the bar. "You're not going to let him hit me, right?"

She fights her amusement as she slips off the stool and saunters ahead, letting him decide for himself if she actually would.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

* * *

Donna purposefully rattles her keys as she ushers Mike inside, closing the door behind them. She'd left Harvey at work but he should be home by now and she waits, one hand poised in warning against Mike's chest, as Harvey's voice sounds from around the corner.

"Babe, you want to order in for dinner?"

Mike, who clearly can't help himself, mouths the word 'babe' in amusement and she rolls her eyes, slapping him when Harvey calls out again.

"_Donna_?"

A movement follows her name and she tries not to look sheepish when he appears, his shoulders tensing as he spots Mike. "_No_."

The conviction in the one word response slams the room with tension and she steps toward him, leaving the younger man standing behind her. She knew Harvey would be angry but whether he admits it or not, he's hurting, and this is a chance for them to fix things. "Harvey, look at me."

He doesn't, not at first, but her fingers slide up to his cheek and he reluctantly shifts his glare to her patient expression. She doesn't say anything else, doesn't have to, and he blows a reluctant huff into his cheek. Thirteen years and no matter how much he hates it sometimes, he trust her instincts more than his own. If she thinks this, whatever the _hell_ it is, is a good idea then he's prepared to give her the benefit of the doubt.

"Thank you." She drops her hand with a small smile, knowing that getting him to agree would be the hardest part. He's made it perfectly clear he could give a shit about what Faye Richardson thinks so all they have to do is open the lines of commutation with Mike, and now they're both in the same room it's a start.

"Give us a minute?" His thumb hovers at the crook of her elbow, the touch a gentle attempt to persuade her. Truth is, he's only asking out of courtesy. If Mike breathes one word about the case, which judging by the ambush is why he's here, that automatically puts her at risk. He isn't letting her fall into Richardson's cross hairs and he'll do whatever he can to protect her, including sorting out this mess with Mike himself.

"You sure?" She purses her lips together trying to read where he's coming from but his expression is tightly guarded and she knows better than to push. She already picked her battle tonight and lets him have the out. "I'll grab us some dinner."

He relaxes slightly, his lips meeting hers in a chaste kiss reaffirming he isn't mad. He would prefer it if Mike was the one leaving, his pride still stinging with hurt, but he makes an attempt to swallow it as he lets go of Donna's arm. "Drink?" He throws the question at the kid, who slips his hands out of his pockets with an awkward nod.

Donna offers Mike a reassuring smile as she slips passed, confident they'll find a way to resolve things because at the end of the day, when they're staring down the barrel of a gun, they're there for each other.

That's what it means to be family and that's who they are, no matter what.


End file.
